Tiger Woods: Former world No 1 has tooth knocked out by a photographer

14-time major winner hit by a camera watching girlfriend Lindsey Vonn at skiing World Cup

(PA/Getty Images)

Images emerged of Tiger Woods looking rather the worse for wear yesterday - and it turned out the former World No 1 golfer had his tooth knocked out by a photographer.

Woods, 39, had been watching his girlfriend Lindsey Vonn break a skiing World Cup record, notching her 63rd win, when he was hit in the mouth by a camera, knocking a central incisor out.

"During a crush of photographers as the awards podium at the World Cup event in Italy, a media member with a shoulder-mounted video camera pushed and surged toward the stage, turned and hit Tiger Woods in the mouth," Woods' agent Mark Steinberg said in a statement to the Associated Press.

"Woods' tooth was knocked out by the incident."

There had been speculation that the golfer, winner of 14 majors, was to have his tooth removed because it had become discoloured in recent weeks.

Having suffered an injury-hit 2014, Woods will return to the course for the first time in 2015 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in January.

Lindsey Vonn on her way to a record-breaking 63rd World Cup victory (EPA)

Vonn, 30, recorded her 63rd World Cup victory in Austria to break Annemarie Moser-Proell's 35-year-old record.

The American clocked 1 minute 27.03 seconds down the Olympia delle Tofane course to finish 0.85 ahead of Anna Fenninger of Austria, while Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein was third, 0.92 back.

Woods surprised Vonn in the finish area, where the pair shared an emotional embrace. Vonn exclaimed: "No way!" when she saw him.

Vonn celebrates her win in Austria (Getty Images)

"I didn't think this could get any better than yesterday with my entire family here but now with Tiger here this is unbelievable," Vonn said. "I said, `I can't believe you came.' And he said, `I told you."'

Additional reporting from AP